Estuary Flow MCP server

Inspect Estuary Flow captures, materializations, collections and stats. Hosted by usefulapi: connect it to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client.

Connect Estuary FlowFree 50 tool calls / monthPro $9/mo · $90/yr · pricing19 tools

What can I ask?

Turn on the Estuary Flow connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.

What you can do with Estuary Flow in Claude and ChatGPT

For data engineers who run data pipelines with Estuary Flow.

List captures, collections and materializations

The AI lists the catalog entities you can read, filtered by name prefix or type. It shows the connector and last publication of each one.

See how much data a pipeline moved

The AI reads the stats of one catalog entity per time grain: bytes and documents read and written, usage seconds, warnings, errors and failures.

Find out why a publication failed

The AI lists publications with their job status, then reads the log lines of a failed job by its logs token. You see what went wrong.

Browse connectors and their versions

The AI lists the available capture and materialization connectors, can limit them to recommended ones, and shows the versions with documentation links.

Stage a catalog change and validate it

The AI creates a draft, adds a spec to it and publishes with dry_run on to validate it. Turning dry_run off applies the change to live pipelines.

Changes data

How do I connect Estuary Flow?

Before you connect

The login page asks for your Estuary Flow refresh token.

Create one in Estuary Flow → Admin → CLI-API. Your token is used only to call the API on your behalf and to derive a private account id; it is never shown to anyone.

Claude claude.ai · Desktop

  1. Open Customize → Connectors, then click + Add → Add custom connector.
  2. Enter the name Estuary Flow and this URL, then click Add:
    https://estuary-flow.usefulapi.io/mcp
  3. Claude opens the login page: enter your Estuary Flow refresh token.
  4. In a chat, click + → Connectors and turn on Estuary Flow.

Team and Enterprise: an Owner adds the connector for the organization first.

ChatGPT chatgpt.com

  1. Open Plugins, click +, then Add custom MCP server.
  2. Enter the name Estuary Flow and this URL, choose OAuth as the authentication, confirm the warning and create it:
    https://estuary-flow.usefulapi.io/mcp
  3. ChatGPT opens the login page: enter your Estuary Flow refresh token.
  4. In Plugins, install Estuary Flow, then choose it in a chat.

No Add custom MCP server option? It depends on your account or workspace settings: see OpenAI's guide.

Claude Code

Run this command, then run /mcp in Claude Code to log in:

claude mcp add --transport http estuary-flow https://estuary-flow.usefulapi.io/mcp

Cursor

Add to Cursor or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "estuary-flow": {
      "url": "https://estuary-flow.usefulapi.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

VS Code

Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "estuary-flow": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://estuary-flow.usefulapi.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Codex

Run these commands. The second one opens the login page:

codex mcp add estuary-flow --url https://estuary-flow.usefulapi.io/mcp
codex mcp login estuary-flow

Other clients

Windsurf, Cline, Zed and other MCP clients: add this URL as a remote MCP server (Streamable HTTP). The client then opens the login page in your browser.

https://estuary-flow.usefulapi.io/mcp

Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Estuary Flow refresh token. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.

Pricing

PlanPriceLimit
Free$050 tool calls / month
Pro$9/mo · $90/yr10,000 tool calls / month
Pro+$39/mo · $390/yr100,000 tool calls / month

Each paid plan covers this Estuary Flow server only. Ask your AI to run estuary_flow_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. The change requires your confirmation, keeps your billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. Cancel any time with estuary_flow_cancel_subscription: your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and asking to resume the same plan with estuary_flow_upgrade before then undoes the cancel. Or write to [email protected].

Tools 19

Show all 19 tools (the AI picks them for you)

Read only · 12

  • List catalog entitiesestuary_list_catalog
    List live catalog entities (captures, collections, materializations, tests) the user can read, with connector + last-publication metadata. Optionally filter by a catalog-name prefix and spec_type. Estuary control-plane view live_specs_ext.
  • Get catalog specestuary_get_catalog_spec
    Get one live catalog entity by its exact catalog_name, including the full serialized `spec` and compiled `built_spec`. Estuary control-plane view live_specs_ext.
  • Get catalog statsestuary_get_catalog_stats
    Get usage/throughput stats for one catalog entity — bytes & docs read/written (both directions), usage_seconds, warnings/errors/failures, and txn_count — per time grain. Optionally bound by a timestamp range. Estuary control-plane view catalog_stats.
  • List connectorsestuary_list_connectors
    List the connector catalog — available capture/materialization Docker connectors, with titles, descriptions, and logos. Optionally filter to recommended connectors. Estuary control-plane table connectors.
  • List connector versionsestuary_list_connector_versions
    List available versions (image tags) of connectors, with protocol and documentation URL. Optionally filter by connector_id. Estuary control-plane table connector_tags.
  • List draftsestuary_list_drafts
    List the user's draft workspaces (staging areas for catalog edits before publishing). Estuary control-plane table drafts.
  • List draft specsestuary_list_draft_specs
    List the staged spec entries within a draft (each an insert/replace of a catalog entity pending publication). Estuary control-plane table draft_specs.
  • List publicationsestuary_list_publications
    List publication history/status — each publish attempt of a draft; job_status carries the queued/success/failed outcome. Estuary control-plane table publications.
  • List discoversestuary_list_discovers
    List connector discovery jobs (auto-detecting bindings/resources for a capture). Estuary control-plane table discovers.
  • List rolesestuary_list_roles
    List the roles/capabilities the current credential is granted — which catalog prefixes it can read/write/admin. Read-only RPC.
  • Get tenantestuary_get_tenant
    Get the user's tenant(s) — quotas (tasks/collections), billing tiers, recurring charge, trial start, and payment provider. Estuary control-plane table tenants.
  • View task logsestuary_view_task_logs
    Fetch the log lines for a job by its logs_token (a UUID found on a publication, discover, or connector-tag record). Optionally page from a last-seen timestamp. Read-only RPC.

Changes data · 3

  • Create draftestuary_create_draft
    WRITE: create a new empty draft workspace (a staging area for catalog changes; does not affect live pipelines). Estuary control-plane: POST /drafts. Returns the created row.
  • Upsert draft specestuary_upsert_draft_spec
    WRITE: stage (insert or replace) a catalog spec inside a draft. Edits only the draft — live pipelines are unaffected until the draft is published. Estuary control-plane: POST /draft_specs (upsert on draft_id,catalog_name). Returns the staged row.
  • Publish draftestuary_publish_draft
    WRITE (DESTRUCTIVE when dry_run=false): publish a draft. dry_run=true (default) only VALIDATES the draft without changing anything. dry_run=false APPLIES the draft to the LIVE catalog — this can create, modify, or DELETE running data pipelines and their data. Set dry_run=false only when you intend to change live infrastructure. Estuary control-plane: POST /publications. Returns the publication row.

Your usefulapi plan · 4

  • Usage status (free-tier meter)estuary_flow_usage_status
    Report the caller's current usage: the plan, calls used this month, the limit of the plan (the free monthly cap or the Pro fair use limit), remaining, and whether the limit is reached. Read-only; does not count against the meter.
  • Request a missing featureestuary_flow_request_feature
    Tell usefulapi that the user needs something the Estuary Flow tools cannot do yet (a missing tool, field or filter). Call it only when the user asks for something none of the tools can do, and tell the user that you send the request. Do not call it for errors or for normal requests. Do not include personal data, credentials or customer records. Stored with the product name and the client type (for example Claude or Cursor), without the user's account. At most 5 requests per day. Does not count against the meter.
  • Upgrade to Pro or Pro+estuary_flow_upgrade
    Get a paid plan for Estuary Flow (the free tier caps monthly usage). Pro: 10,000 tool calls a month, for normal use — plan "monthly" ($9/month) or "yearly" ($90/year, 2 months free). Pro+: 100,000 tool calls a month, for automations and heavy use — plan "plus" ($39/month) or "plus_yearly" ($390/year). Without a plan it returns both Pro and Pro+, each with a payment link, for the user to choose; with a plan, one link. An existing Pro subscription changes to Pro+ in place (needs confirm: true; the price difference for the rest of the period is charged at once). Cancel any time: the plan then runs to the end of the paid period, so it also suits a one-time job. A link opens Stripe Checkout in the browser; after payment the account upgrades automatically. Does not count against the meter.
  • Cancel the Pro subscriptionestuary_flow_cancel_subscription
    Cancel the caller's Estuary Flow Pro subscription at the end of the paid period (no refund for the current period; Pro continues until then, then the free tier applies). Requires confirm: true. Run estuary_flow_upgrade later to undo the cancel before the period ends. Does not count against the meter.

FAQ

What can I do with Estuary Flow in Claude or ChatGPT?

List captures, collections and materializations. See how much data a pipeline moved. Find out why a publication failed. Browse connectors and their versions. Stage a catalog change and validate it. See what you can do for the details.

Is this an official Estuary Flow product?

No. usefulapi is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Estuary Flow. The server calls the Estuary Flow API with your own Estuary Flow access, so it sees only the data that your account can see.

Can I connect Estuary Flow to Claude or ChatGPT?

Yes. In Claude, add this server's URL as a custom connector. In ChatGPT, add it as a custom MCP server in Plugins. Then log in once. Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code and Codex work too. See the setup steps.

What do I need to connect?

The login page asks for your Estuary Flow refresh token. See Before you connect for where to find it.

Do I put my Estuary Flow key or an Authorization header in the client config?

No. Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Estuary Flow refresh token. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.

How do you keep my Estuary Flow credentials?

The login stores them encrypted in the authorization grant of your connection. The server uses them to call the Estuary Flow API for you and to derive a private account id for usage metering. usefulapi does not show them on any page or in any reply. To stop all access, remove the connector and change or delete these credentials in Estuary Flow.

Can the AI change my Estuary Flow data?

Yes, if you approve it. 3 of the 15 Estuary Flow tools can create or change data. The other 12 are marked read-only. Most MCP clients ask you to approve a tool call before it runs.

What does it cost?

The Free plan gives 50 tool calls / month. Pro costs $9/mo or $90/yr, with 10,000 tool calls / month. Pro+ costs $39/mo or $390/yr, with 100,000 tool calls / month. Each subscription covers this Estuary Flow server only. Cancel any time: your paid plan then runs to the end of the paid period. Run estuary_flow_usage_status to see how many calls you used.

How do I subscribe or cancel?

Ask the AI to run estuary_flow_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. After you confirm, your existing subscription changes in place, keeps its billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. To cancel, run estuary_flow_cancel_subscription. Your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period.

What if a Estuary Flow tool that I need is missing?

Tell the AI what you wanted to do. It can send the request with estuary_flow_request_feature. We store the text with the server name, the type of AI client and the tool you tried, not with your account, and read every request when we plan new tools. You can send up to 5 requests per day.

Which AI clients can I use?

Any client that supports remote MCP servers (Streamable HTTP) with OAuth login: Claude (web and desktop), Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf and others.

This is a Model Context Protocol endpoint — meant to be connected from an AI client, not opened in a browser. An invalid_token response at the URL is the auth gate working as designed; clients authenticate automatically.

Need a tool this server does not have, or a connection to another system? We build custom integrations and MCP servers.

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